GPS Dog tracker

Author
Discussion

HTP99

Original Poster:

22,543 posts

140 months

Sunday 14th January 2018
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After Barry doing a dissapearing act yesterday for an hour when out with the wife and something similar happening to Daphne just before Christmas, both myself and the wife have been discussing GPS trackers for them both, something that we can check on our phones, I'm also curious to find out how far they actually walk/run when we are out; a walk may be 4 or 5 miles but with them both darting off and running back and forth, I'd love to know the kind of mileage that they are both doing.

So with the above in mind, what are people's experiences with dog GPS trackers and can anyone recommend any?

Thanks.

carinatauk

1,408 posts

252 months

Monday 15th January 2018
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I would be interested as well.

I have a short list of Garmin, Findster, Tractive (hunter).

I am not sure of the whole GPS vs other technology (RF) but I would be concerned when in no signal / woodland areas for the cheaper versions


MellowshipSlinky

14,696 posts

189 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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Leo went missing for 9 hours once, and I started to look into trackers.
Only problem is his attraction to water of any kind (river, bog etc) so would need a very good waterproof one.

The ones I found at the time were very expensive and didn’t appear to be *that* waterproof from the reviews.

GetCarter

29,377 posts

279 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
I have one on Bertie (seen on the pic below... he's a big lad, so scale it up!)

Mine is with https://www.podtrackers.com/

Good points... it works when it works.
Can access the 'track' from any computer, mobile, ipad etc... with the login details.
It's better than nothing!

Bad... Battery lasts about 32 hours (not 6 days as they say), ... but you get 2 rechargeable batteries - have to change 4 or 5 times a week.
You need GPS (good view of the sky) and a mobile signal (where the dog is) for it to work.



Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 16th January 18:01

JonChalk

6,469 posts

110 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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GPS "fog" tracker???

Just had to click to see what was really meant :-)

HTP99

Original Poster:

22,543 posts

140 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
I have one on Bertie (seen on the pic below... he's a big lad, so scale it up!)

Mine is with https://www.podtrackers.com/

Good points... it works when it works.
Can access the 'track' from any computer, mobile, ipad etc... with the login details.
It's better than nothing!

Bad... Battery lasts about 32 hours (not 6 days as they say), ... but you get 2 rechargeable batteries - have to change 4 or 5 times a week.
You need GPS (good view of the sky) and a mobile signal (where the dog is) for it to work.



Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 16th January 18:01
Thanks, the problem we are coming up against when looking is the size of the trackers; both Barry and Daphne are small, very small, decent trackers tend to be on the large side, well too large for them.

The other is cellular coverage, we tend to walk in very wooded areas, (Surrey is very woody) cellular coverage is crap in wooded areas.

Both times the dogs have gone missing, it's been later in the day and getting dark, maybe they get disorientated with the low and decreasing light and eventual darkness, hence they get lost.

When Barry went missing on Saturday it was pitch black when he was found and he'd only been gone an hour; he happened across some others out with their dogs and practically threw himself at them and was clearly distressed, similar with Daphne; fading light. Perhaps we just need to be mindful of the time of day when out with them.

pidsy

7,989 posts

157 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
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been looking into these for a few years on and off. The technology doesn't seem to have got much better and prices still remain high for the bigger brands.
Loc8tor used to be great for the cats but i dont want a subscription service.


Drogo

719 posts

217 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
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TK Star
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TKSTAR-Exclusive-Real-Tim...

Bought and have been using for a couple of months.
Giffgaff sim installed and you phone the tracker, hang up and get a text back with Google maps link to the last position.


Not had to use it in anger yet and hope not to have to but have been testing it on various walks.

It works with an app or web interface. Web interface is typically far eastern and takes a bit of deciphering. Phone app is better but again takes a little time to set up.

Now attached to our dogs harness after he got trapped buy his lead somewhere amongst the brambles and was out all night as we couldn't find him after 3Hrs.

When I think I might let him off, with a trailing lead, I make sure either via the app or a phone call to check it's working.

Brads67

3,199 posts

98 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
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Garmin are disabling the GPs trackers that folk have been buying from the states, and are now selling a UK version, for a grand !

FiF

44,062 posts

251 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
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Interesting to hear experiences, especially re waterproofing.

Currently our solution is falconry bells, annoyingly loud, but at least you can usually track a rough bearing.

Plus for extra Christmas Eve childish amusement factor, during the late night sniff and a squirt walk round the neighbourhood, get a pace on and it all sounds like sleigh bells, coupled with a few timely HoHoHos gets reluctant kids off to bed . whistle

ctdctd

482 posts

198 months

Wednesday 24th January 2018
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The G-Paws 3 GPS tracker is on sale on eBay for £4.95

Search for "G-PAWS 3 GPS" - seller is velocityelectronics

The reason it is that price is because the manufacturer has gone bust and their website no longer exists.

However, it works fine and creates GPZ files that can be copied to a PC and then imported into Google Earth to show the tracking.

Might be a low cost option if you want to have a play and download a few tracks to see where the dog (or cat) really goes!

I got a couple - one for me and one for the dog so I can compare our routes!

Boosted LS1

21,185 posts

260 months

Wednesday 24th January 2018
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What do they use for falcons and hawks? Would that be an avenue worth exploring?

I just googled falconry gps, all looks very expensive.

Edited by Boosted LS1 on Wednesday 24th January 19:40

FiF

44,062 posts

251 months

Wednesday 24th January 2018
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I wondered about using an old smartphone in a waterproof holder, only for big dogs obviously. With a pay as you chip incl data could you use a type of find my friends tracking app? Securing it would be an issue. As always if where you walk has dodgy coverage then it's an issue.

Boosted LS1

21,185 posts

260 months

Wednesday 24th January 2018
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^ You could phone him up and tell him to come to heel. Oh wait, he can't answer but he could be trained to :-)

FiF

44,062 posts

251 months

Wednesday 24th January 2018
quotequote all
LoL that would get on XFactor. Mind you if ours could use a phone he'd be onto the RSPCA pronto complaining about never being fed, flaming gannet.

Yipper

5,964 posts

90 months

Wednesday 24th January 2018
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Vodafone V-Pet.

S100HP

12,677 posts

167 months

Thursday 24th May 2018
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Did you ever get a tracker? Very please with our tractive. Have used in anger several times now, with great success. from memory you were concerned with the size? the latest posts in the Dog photo thread show a dachshund with one on I think.

Nothing Ventured

19 posts

107 months

Sunday 3rd June 2018
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Eurotunnel have a discount offer for Dog Tracker Nano;

https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/dog-t...


Cliftonite

8,408 posts

138 months

Monday 25th June 2018
quotequote all
ctdctd said:
The G-Paws 3 GPS tracker is on sale on eBay for £4.95

Search for "G-PAWS 3 GPS" - seller is velocityelectronics

The reason it is that price is because the manufacturer has gone bust and their website no longer exists.

However, it works fine and creates GPZ files that can be copied to a PC and then imported into Google Earth to show the tracking.

Might be a low cost option if you want to have a play and download a few tracks to see where the dog (or cat) really goes!

I got a couple - one for me and one for the dog so I can compare our routes!
Nearly all gone!